President leaves car at barrier, walks to Maligawa
Road to remain closed, new projects to ease congestion revealed

 KANDY – President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (01) set an example for others by walking to the Sri Dalada Maligawa to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic.

The President left his vehicle at the barrier in front of Queen’s Hotel and walked to the Sri Dalada Maligawa around 6.00 am. He did so while some people are demanding the re-opening of the road near the Sri Dalada Maligawa that has been closed for vehicular traffic.

Governor Central Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, Indigenous Medicine Minister Piyasena Gamage and Deputy Minister Pandu Bandaranayke accompanied President Rajapaksa.

At a meeting with Most Venerable Mahanayake of Asgiriya Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thera, President Rajapaksa said that there was no reason why all VIPS including ministers and MPs could not leave their motor vehicles at the barrier and walk to Sri Dalada Maligawa to pay homage.

President Rajapaksa told the prelate that several measures would be adopted to ease congestion in the historical Kandy City for the benefit of the public. He said among them were an underground road between Bogambara and Buwelikada, a municipal vehicle park to prevent roadside parking and reducing the present number of bus stations in the city. Buses would be required to park outside the city. When those projects were implemented, the question of reopening the road near the Maligawa would not arise, the President said.

President Rajapaksa said he had drawn heavy flak from some quarters for not re-opening the road but usually devotees and pilgrims had to have long treks to other places of religious worship. He pointed out that pilgrims to holy Mecca had to walk quite a distance and people had to climb a mountain to worship Sri Pada. However, he said, he would do everything possible during a short period of time to reduce the hardships the public faced owing to the road closure to a bare minimum.

President Rajapaksa said he did what he said and vice versa and requested the public to repose their trust in him as regards the measures being adopted to rid the Kandy City of traffic jams and the attendant delays and pollution. He said he did not seek to discount the difficulties of the people and he considered it a sacred duty to find solutions to their problems.

Most Venerable Sri Buddharakkitha Mahanayake Thera proposed that the road around the Kandy Lake be widened and the possibility of constructing an underpass through Udawatte Kele be explored.

President Rajapaksa called on the Maha Nayake of the Malwatte Most Ven. Tibbatuwawe Sri Siddharatha Sumangala Thera and explained why the road near the Maligawa could not be re-opened for vehicular traffic.

President told the Mahanayake Thero that he would not permit the opening of liquor shops and meat stalls close to places of worship.

Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela was present.

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